Oven-Baked Recipe for Young Potatoes

Prepare the necessary ingredients for the recipe for young potatoes in the oven. When buying potatoes, choose medium or small-sized tubers. They contain more nutrients. Pay attention to tubers without mechanical damage or signs of spoilage. Varieties with a high starch content are best for baking. The more starch in the tubers, the less moisture in the fruits. As a result, the potatoes turn out tender and crumbly. When choosing young potatoes, press the skin with your nail. If water appears, it means that the potatoes are well saturated with chemicals. Do not buy greenish fruits, as they contain the poisonous substance solanine. After purchasing young potatoes, it is best to use it immediately or store it in a dark, cool place. Young potatoes are best boiled, but when you try this recipe for young potatoes in the oven, I'm sure you will stop boiling them and only bake them. For the dressing sauce, I selected all the spices based on my own taste. I would not recommend replacing fresh herbs with dried ones, as the aroma of dried herbs is less pronounced. Thyme can be replaced with fresh rosemary. Adjust the amount of garlic and black ground pepper to your taste. Coriander seeds can be replaced with ground coriander, but its aroma is less pronounced compared to crushed seeds. In this recipe, parsley can be replaced with dill, celery, cilantro, or basil. Adjust the amount of salt to your taste.

Peel the young potatoes. You can use a knife to peel the thin skin, but I prefer to use a vegetable peeler. Rinse the peeled potatoes well with cold running water and pat them dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Scratch each potato tuber with a fork from top to bottom, making grooves about 2-3 mm deep.

Pour half of odorless vegetable oil onto the potatoes and mix well to ensure each potato is coated with oil.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish. I find it more convenient to bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place them in a preheated oven and bake at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius for 25-40 minutes, until they develop a golden crust. The baking time may vary for each oven, as well as depending on the power of the oven, variety, and size of the potatoes. I baked the potatoes for 40 minutes in a regular gas oven. During the baking process, I stirred them several times to ensure even browning. Once my potatoes were golden, I pierced them with a wooden skewer to check for doneness inside. The baked potatoes should be easily pierced. While the potatoes are in the oven, prepare the dressing sauce.

Transfer the coriander seeds to a mortar and grind them into small pieces. This can also be done using a grinder or coffee grinder.

Peel, rinse, and dry the garlic. Slice it into rounds. Transfer it to a mortar (I have a clay one). Add salt.

Mash it well with a pestle until it reaches a paste-like consistency.

Rinse and dry the parsley and thyme. Remove the stems. Chop the parsley leaves and add them to the garlic. Also tear off the thyme leaves and add them there.

Crush and mash with a pestle along with the garlic mixture.

Add ground paprika, black ground pepper, and crushed coriander seeds. Pour in vegetable oil (30 ml).

Grind with a pestle until it becomes a uniform paste-like consistency. Set aside and let it steep and absorb each other's aromas for 10-15 minutes.

Remove the ready-baked young potatoes from the oven.

Transfer immediately to a mortar with the dressing sauce.

Gently mix to ensure that the potatoes are coated with the flavorful dressing. Thanks to the tiny grooves we made with a fork, the spices will penetrate the potatoes inside and out. It can be served right away. Sprinkle with chopped herbs before serving. This potato dish pairs perfectly with fresh or pickled vegetables. It is an excellent side dish for meat or fish. Additionally, you can serve it with sour cream or a sweet and sour sauce.

Try this simple recipe for oven-baked young potatoes and share your impressions. Enjoy your meal!